'What should I do now?'
That was the question Rey asked himself when he thought of the Grand Calamity Dungeon.
It posed too much of a risk to him, and everything he had built thus far, if he decided to go as Ralyks. If Adrien was indeed behind what was going on, there was a huge chance he was being lured in.
The mere possibility that he was being used made Rey rule out his strongest card—Ralyks.
That wasn't the only reason, though.
Rey wasn't sure how far the name of Ralyks had spread, so it would be too much of a risk if he used his most influential persona. He would stick out like a sore thumb, and that would ruin the point of everything.
Of course, not all attention was bad. However, in the case of his identity as Ralyks, it was much better for him to get no attention at all than for him to get any.
'Ralyks is someone who is already an Adventurer, but is keeping his identity secret. It would be weird if I had to register as an Adventurer while being Ralyks.'
It would literally cause his persona to crumble.
Besides, until he could confirm if Adrien was behind the incident or not, perhaps even figure out what his plan could be, Rey decided it was best not to use his Ralyks persona.
That was probably what was best for everyone—himself most of all.
What then?
If not Ralyks, then how was he going to get the freedom to properly explore and investigate the city?
The answer was pretty simple.
'I'll just make another Alt Account!'
That was how the Dark Gentleman Jet came to be. He decided on a new set of clothes and chose a different aesthetic—even abandoning his staple mask.
This way, people would be able to differentiate him from Ralyks, at the very least.
Also, despite still pretty much being the same person, Rey knew he would have to use completely different sets of abilities as Jet in order for any observers not to draw any kind of connection between him and Ralyks.
He also had to be considerably weaker.
Despite how much Rey disliked Adrien Chase, the guy had a very good point.
'There can't be two Ralyks.'
Jet would simply be a powerful Adventurer who had reached a considerable height in power—enough to rival the strongest of Adventurers.
Nothing more… nothing less.
It was all of those thought that led to this exact moment; Rey and Esme journeying to the Adventurers City together.
For Rey, it was to investigate the entire Grand Calamity Class Dungeon, while for Esme, this would be a good opportunity for her to Level Up and grow stronger.
Of course, Rey was also going to get as strong as possible, but that just wasn't his primary goal.
*********
"Well, things are certainly looking up." Esme smiled as she wore a more casual outfit, her white hair still dripping with water despite tying a towel around it.
It seemed she just had a shower, though her oversized sweater and shorts showed that she changed before coming out.
Her slightly moist legs gave an alluring glow, but Rey looked away before his senses could get sucked in to the beauty.
"I mean… I had no idea that I would get the chance to Level Up this fast." She added.
Sitting on the bed opposite where Rey was, she crossed her legs and rested her face on one of her open palms.
"Thanks for considering me for this mission."
"Well, it's not like I can let you remain weak forever…" Rey commented, still refusing to look in her direction.
"Wow… that one seriously burns. But don't worry, I'll catch up to you in no time."
The moment she said this, Rey snickered and gave a sarcastic nod,
His response naturally made Esme's face turn beet red, and she looked around for something to throw at him. Unfortunately, after their earlier argument… she was all out of ammunition.
Besides, after thinking of it for a few moments, her anger sizzled out.
Rey wasn't particularly wrong, after all.
"Yeah, you're right. I am pretty weak." She smiled, narrowing her gaze on him as she did so. "I owe you one. Thanks."
This time, it was Rey's turn to be slightly flustered. Of course, Esme could see none of it since it was hidden behind the mask.
"W-well, it's no big deal. Besides, I'm not doing it just for your sake anyway. I'll also get stronger."
If he was lucky, there would be some powerful Monsters who could give him some pretty sweet EXP. Also, the chance of him obtaining some pretty neat Skills were also high.
"But you could go on your own, right? Bringing me along will only split your EXP. I could also get in the way if we encounter an absurdly strong Monster." Esme responded, her smile becoming more warm and understanding.
"What's your point?"
"Nothing. I just really appreciate your consideration." She giggled, before flexing her small hands as if there were muscles there.
"Don't worry… I'll make you proud and get crazy strong!"
It made Rey break character for a moment and laugh his heart out. "Pfft! You better!"
Both sides enjoyed their conversation after that, with the moon watching over them atop the night sky.
********
[Meanwhile…]
Within the base of the strongest Party of the Adventurers City, a certain individual sat on his grand seat—the spot reserved only for the Party Leader.
A dark shadow was cast over this figure, so nothing but the yellow sparks in his eyes were displayed.
Perhaps this was a good thing for the six who were kneeling in front of him—Sango and his five drunk subordinates.
"So… you mean to tell me that you guys went and harassed the guy out of nowhere, and still got your asses handed to you?"